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L'Orto, near Montescaglioso2 days’ cycle hire included and routes provided • rural landscape
All apartments: • 1 double bedroom (sleep up to 2 adults & 2 small children) • shower room • sitting-cum-dining room with fireplace & sofa bed converting to 2 beds best suited to young children • well-equipped kitchen with 4-ring hob, oven & fridge-freezer • terrace • shared garden • shared pool (usually open from May to September) Activities/facilities available: • walking • cycling (2 days’ bike hire & notes provided) • volleyball, table-tennis & boules on site • nearest shop & restaurant 5km
One of Italy’s last remaining ‘undiscovered’ regions, Basilicata is also very much Italy’s deep south, with a slower rhythm to daily life. It may be little-visited, but the wealth of sights and places of interest scattered across the rugged mountains and wide-open expanses of pastureland is astonishing.
Settled by the Greeks, the Byzantines and the Normans, its history is rich and fascinating, with numerous archaeological sites and ancient towns that testify to this colourful past. On the unspoiled Ionian Coast, the town of Metaponto boasts a Greek theatre and temple, while inland the Norman town of Acerenza is worth visiting for its Romanesque cathedral and interesting mix of architectural styles.
Basilicata, or Luciana as it is also poetically known, is a wonderful region of contrasts - Dolomite-like mountain peaks and rolling pastoral hills, golden with the wheat for local bread and pasta. This area is ideal for cycling: you can meander through the pleasant countryside to the Crypt of the Original Sin(!) or head for either of the picturesque towns of Montescaglioso and Matera. (We provide route notes and maps for two routes.)
Indeed, extraordinary Matera is the real jewel of the region, a town where frescoed churches and thousands of sassi (cave dwellings) have been carved out of the limestone. South of Matera lies Montescaglioso, a hill-top town dominated by its 11th-century Benedictine abbey, and it is near here that L’Orto is located.
A warm and enthusiastic welcome awaits you from Fulvio and Cinzia Spada, owners of this wonderful agriturismo and working farm. ‘Orto’ means ‘kitchen garden’ and you can buy olive oil, artichokes, aubergines, tomatoes and peppers all fresh from the farm and full of flavour. All six ground-floor apartments are tastefully decorated.
When eating in, you can supplement produce bought from the farm with provisions from the shops in Montescaglioso, and we highly recommend that you join Cinzia and Fulvio for the special dinners of delicious regional cuisine which they organise for guests most weeks (pay locally). Work up an appetite by swimming a few lengths in the pool, or by exploring the walking trails on the estate - like cycling, this is a great way to appreciate the marvellous tones of gold, pale green and brown in the landscape. Prices & travel 2009:
Property & hire car includes: 7 days' category B car hire (eg Fiat Grande Punto) > Important notes on pricing > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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